ch401-ch420 · 409-ch409

Chapter 409: 'Sword Saint-chan' Isn't Scary If Everyone Goes

"Ao, take a look at Haruki. ......What do you think?"

The crowd of onlookers parts, and Yukiya-san puts the question to Ao-san who steps through.

Ao-san is a professional scout-type, and apparently his 【Presence Detection】 can read not just how strong someone is, but whether hostility is directed at his own people.

I have no hostility, so I'm safe.

To me, Ao-san reads as a faint pink presence—but to Ao-san, I must look something like a clear green.

You can't see your own presence with 【Presence Detection】, but if a decent person like Mia-san reads as green, I must be green too.

"Ah, Haruki-kun—it's been a while. I hear all three of you got into university. Congratulations. Your memory seems to be back too—splendid concealment. As for Yukiya's question, I can't really say, but that's an answer in itself. Well, that's how veteran scout-types are, more or less. More importantly......"

Well, I AM using 【Presence Concealment】, after all.

Ao-san walks past me and heads for......

"Eh? Ah, thanks for having me."

"Aikawa-san's daughter is one thing, but...... are you one of their party members? You're quite strong. Will you be coming tomorrow too?"

In front of Soushi.

He's met Aikawa several times, but this is his first time meeting Soushi, isn't it?

"Yes, well. If I can, I'd like to participate."

"I hear you can't poach anyone unless you beat Haruki."

Fufufu—can you even reach ME?

"Ah, right, and......"

Ao-san nods in understanding—they had been fighting with weapons, after all.

"So how does one measure strength with that skill of yours? Does Soushi look stronger than Aikawa-san to you? I only seem to see HP amounts—and Yukiya-san feels like a stronger reaction than you, Ao-san. That's odd, isn't it?"

"Oi! What's THAT supposed to mean!"

No, it's exactly what it sounds like?

Which of them is actually stronger—I look forward to finding out tomorrow.

"All I can call it is experience. What you and I sense must be different things entirely. To begin with, you can't know true strength unless you factor in strength beyond stats and skills. You see colors, was it? You should start by investigating what those colors mean. The direction your skill grows in depends on what you consider strong, and what you want to sense."

"The meaning of colors, huh......"

Blue, red, green, purple, light blue, yellow—and with white and black added, eight major colors.

There are shades of depth, and glowing ones, too.

And scout-types are hard to see, apparently.

The only rule known for certain so far is that recovery jobs glow.

......What IS it that I want to see?

"Kinoshita-kun! Seize Haruki. That's what you came for, isn't it?"

I don't think it is.

"Hmm, I can tell you've made him your sworn enemy, but he hasn't actually done anything, has he? Even if we seize him now, he'd just get tossed into the head-office building—the outcome wouldn't change. Watanabe-san will be moving over before long as well, so I'd rather not stir things up with a future neighbor."

"Eh? Kasumi-chan is moving over? With us? Nobody told ME that?"

"You know we've been courting her forever—or rather, you watched it happen right in front of you, didn't you? Tomorrow, we may finally get her answer. Knowing her personality, she would never send only Aikawa-san's daughter over to us."

"Is that so? Nacchan? Nacchan is moving too? Can't just stand around here, then. I'm going to go get tomorrow off, so everyone keep holding onto Haruki——"

Kuwashima-san dashes off, staff members trailing after her.

She's a busy person.

No wait—if she's that busy, can she even GET a day off?

I just hope the burden doesn't land on Fuyumi-san......

'Keep holding him, he says...... what do we do?'

'No way we can. Bear Ossan's here......'

'But if we grab him, maybe we can get chummy with Kuwashima-san?'

Oh?

Without Ao-san here, this was flowing nicely toward shipping ALL of them to Chiba.

"Hold on a moment. From what I just heard—my daughter is going to 'Blue Ocean'? Is that so, Natsuki?"

"That is correct. Her exams were underway, so we kept it under wraps. Tomorrow, we will confirm her own wishes, and then pay you a formal greeting."

Aikawa doesn't answer—Ao-san answers in her place.

"Natsuki...... No, I'll say nothing. That was our promise, after all. Kinoshita-kun, I entrust my daughter to you. It's odd coming from her own father, but it seems this child has real talent as an adventurer. Please. Please, I beg you......"

Bear Ossan bows his head deep.

'Seriously? That kid's joining 'Blue Ocean'?'

'That's the support-member recruitment from recently, right?'

'His daughter? You're kidding—she looks NOTHING like him.'

Well, there goes the mood for ganging up on me.

'Hey, wasn't Soushi invited too?'

'Seriously? Then wouldn't transferring to Chiba and joining their crew be the better deal?'

'But this time, aren't THEY the ones transferring to HQ?'

Minami's group and the senpais, who'd been background noise, perk up.

You already lost—just go to Chiba quietly.

The new-dungeon survey should be winding down soon, so I'm sure the scary older ladies will teach you all sorts of things.

"What about you? No wait—I have to beat you first, was it? If I win, all three of you come to our side. Does that work?"

Oh?

We're doing this?

Then maybe I'll ask for it.

"You can only poach one person per match."

"Hm? What do you mean? You want me to win three times? Not starting now, surely. Tomorrow, then?"

"Oi, if we're fighting, I'm doing it."

Good point.

"For me, today works. So—Yukiya-san, please."

"Heh, so you've got some fight in you after all. Take your stance—no complaints about surprise attacks this time."

Yukiya-san turns to face me and readies himself.

He seems to be mistaken about something.

"Your opponent is over there. Your opponent is Ao-san. Good luck!"

I point an open hand toward Ao-san.

"Eh?"

"Eh?"

Yukiya-san and Ao-san look at each other?

"How does THAT follow?"

"I won just now, so Yukiya-san is already on our side. Which means—beat Ao-san, and we add Ao-san to our side as well."

Defeat 'Sword Saint-chan.'

Maybe, just maybe, if everyone charges together, we can manage it.

"Yukiya...... You LOST?"

"I didn't lose!"

"No, it was a loss by foul. Right, referee? Surprise attacks are forbidden, aren't they?"

Let's confirm with Bear Ossan.

He got angry about it earlier, didn't he?

"Well, a foul is a foul. Though I have no idea what's going on anymore......"

"Wait—even granting, a hundred steps down, that it was a foul—why do I have to fight Ao?"

"Good point. Is this the sort of person you were? Or is this the sort of person you were from the start? I sense no hostility. You're not treating me as an enemy, then...... But by that rule of yours, wouldn't the side with Chiharu have the advantage in the end?"

Exactly.

"That's right. Which is why I want Ao-san added to our side today, and to borrow his wisdom. Well, I don't much care about the results...... it's only the difference between doing it in Chiba or at HQ."

"No, I truly can't follow any of this anymore. For now—Yukiya, can't you just throw the match?"

Mmm-mmm-mmm.

Clever.

But that won't be permitted, you know?

"Yukiya-san, don't be deceived. Throwing the match is one thing, but a loss is still a loss on the record, you know? Right now I see YOU as the stronger one, Yukiya-san—is that a mistake of my skill? You said it wasn't, earlier, so prove it."

"What IS with you!?"

Fufufu.

This is the Hiramatsu-ryu.